With cracked or sore nipples, engorged breasts, and all sorts of other challenges that come with nursing, new moms may be tempted to throw breastfeeding out the window. After all, it can’t make that much of a difference, right? Well actually, it can! In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) and (UNICEF) recently published […]

Research shows that teens are now more stressed than adults and are overdosing on drugs and committing suicide at higher rates. In Part 1: How American Teens are Hurting Themselves, we saw from a pediatrician’s perspective how stressed and depressed teens are abusing drugs and alcohol, committing suicide and even finding new ways–like extreme “fad” diets […]

Play has developmental value Research has repeatedly shown that play has numerous developmental benefits for children. Children “practice” the concepts they learn through their play. It is delightful to see children focus on a block or science activity for hours as they learn about how things work. Other reasons for play include: Children learn math […]

Finding ways to laugh through the hard times builds resilience and relationships in a family. The effects of laughter are both immediate and lasting for people of all ages. A few weekends ago I visited some of my husband’s family I had never met before to attend the funeral of his aunt. Emotions were […]

How important is the relationship between a parent and a child? Are there really long term effects for taking time to bond with your child or even neglecting your child? The answers may seem obvious. Of course the parent-child relationship matters and is critical to a child’s health and well-being. As every relationship is critical […]